Effects of perpetrator identity on suicidality and nonsuicidal self-injury in sexually victimized female adolescents

Figures & data

Table 1 Sociodemographic features of sexual dating violence, incest, and other CSA victims

Characteristics	Dating violence (n=125)	Incest (n=33)	Other CSA (n=96)	Total (N=254)	P-value
Age, mean ± SD (range), years	15.5±1.3 (12–18)	15.2±1.4 (13–18)	14.9±1.6 (12–18)	15.2±1.5 (12–18)	0.019
Dropout from school before abuse, n (%)					0.611
Yes	25 (20.0)	8 (24.2)	16 (16.7)	49 (19.3)
No	100 (80.0)	25 (75.8)	80 (83.3)	205 (80.7)
Dropout from school after abuse, n (%)					0.002
Yes	47 (37.6)	8 (24.2)	16 (16.7)	71 (28.0)
No	78 (62.4)	25 (75.8)	80 (83.3)	183 (72.0)
Living with, n (%)					<0.001
Parent(s)	95 (76.0)	18 (54.5)	84 (87.5)	197 (77.6)
Relatives	7 (5.6)	2 (6.1)	3 (3.1)	12 (4.7)
Partner	8 (6.4)	1 (3.0)	2 (2.1)	11 (4.3)
In an institution	15 (12.0)	12 (36.4)	6 (6.2)	33 (13.0)
No data	–	–	1 (1.0)	1 (0.4)
Father’s age, mean ± SD (range), years	44.2±6.3 (33–65)	41.3±8.3 (30–73)	44.4±7.4 (30–78)	43.9±7.0 (30–78)	0.036
Mother’s age, mean ± SD (range), years	40.4±6.3 (31–60)	38.0±7.4 (28–63)	39.3±6.5 (29–59)	39.7±6.6 (28–63)	0.070
Number of children, mean ± SD (range)	2.6±1.2 (1–7)	3.3±1.6 (1–9)	2.7±1.2 (1–8)	2.8±1.3 (1–9)	0.040
Marital status, n (%)					0.005
Married/cohabiting	85 (68.8)	13 (39.4)	62 (64.6)	160 (63.0)
Divorced/separated	26 (20.8)	18 (54.5)	26 (27.1)	70 (27.6)
Widowed	12 (9.6)	2 (6.1)	6 (6.2)	20 (7.9)
No data	2 (1.6)	–	2 (2.1)	4 (1.6)
Household income, n (%)					0.018
Not regular/low	29 (23.2)	17 (51.5)	29 (30.2)	75 (29.5)
Middle/high	81 (64.8)	15 (45.5)	58 (60.4)	154 (60.6)
No data	15 (12.0)	1 (3.0)	9 (9.4)	25 (9.8)

Note: P-values were obtained by the Kruskal–Wallis test or the χ² test.

Abbreviations: CSA, child sexual abuse; SD, standard deviation.

Table 2 Abuse-related characteristics of sexual dating violence, incest, and other CSA victims

Characteristics	Dating violence (n=125)	Incest (n=33)	Other CSA (n=96)	Total (N=254)	P-value
Age at first abusive episode, mean ± SD (range), years	14.6±1.4 (9.5–17.5)	12.3±2.4 (7.0–16.0)	13.8±1.9 (8.0–17.5)	14.0±1.9 (7.0–17.5)	<0.001
Length of time since the (first) trauma (months), mean ± SD (range)	17.3±1.2 (6–84)	42.7±2.5 (8–96)	20.0±1.5 (6–72)	21.6±1.7 (6–96)	<0.001
More than one offender, n (%)	41 (32.8)	7 (21.2)	13 (13.5)	61 (24.0)	0.004
Number of offenders, mean ± SD (range)	1.66±1.55 (1–14)	1.21±0.41 (1–2)	1.49±1.80 (1–13)	1.54±1.56 (1–14)	0.003
Chronic abuse by the same offender, n (%)	68 (54.4)	28 (84.8)	37 (38.5)	133 (52.4)	<0.001
Revictimization, n (%)	34 (27.2)	6 (18.2)	10 (10.4)	50 (19.7)	0.008
Penetration, n (%)	109 (87.2)	17 (51.5)	38 (39.6)	164 (64.6)	<0.001
Physical assault, n (%)	32 (25.6)	14 (42.4)	13 (13.5)	59 (23.2)	0.002
Threat, n (%)	72 (57.6)	19 (57.6)	39 (40.6)	130 (51.2)	0.032
Confinement, n (%)	29 (23.2)	NA	15 (15.6)	44 (19.9)	0.219
Pregnancy, n (%)	21 (16.8)	3 (9.1)	10 (10.4)	34 (13.4)	0.285

Note: P-values were obtained by the Kruskal–Wallis test or the χ² test.

Abbreviations: CSA, child sexual abuse; SD, standard deviation; NA, not applicable.

Table 3 Negative mental health consequences of different types of sexual abuse

Mental health consequences	Dating violence (n=125)	Incest (n=33)	Other CSA (n=96)	Total (N=254)	P-value
Any psychiatric disorder,a n (%)	119 (95.2)	30 (90.9)	80 (83.3)	229 (90.2)	0.013
Number of psychiatric disorders, mean ± SD (range)	1.15±0.50 (0–3)	1.12±0.59 (0–3)	1.05±0.63 (0–3)	1.11±0.57 (0–3)	0.395
Major depressive disorder, n (%)	65 (52.0)	16 (48.5)	33 (34.4)	114 (44.9)	0.030
Posttraumatic stress disorder, n (%)	39 (31.2)	10 (30.3)	42 (43.8)	91 (35.8)	0.121
Adjustment disorders, n (%)	18 (14.4)	2 (6.1)	8 (8.3)	28 (11.0)	0.224
Other psychiatric disorders,b n (%)	14 (11.2)	4 (12.1)	11 (11.5)	29 (11.4)	0.989
Attempted suicide, n (%)	44 (35.2)	9 (27.3)	12 (12.5)	65 (25.6)	<0.001
Suicidal ideation, n (%)	85 (68.0)	17 (51.5)	30 (31.2)	132 (52.0)	<0.001
Nonsuicidal self-injury, n (%)	34 (27.2)	8 (24.2)	18 (18.8)	60 (23.6)	0.340

Notes: P-values were obtained by the Kruskal–Wallis test or the χ² test.

a Forty-seven of victims had more than one psychiatric disorders.

b Other psychiatric disorders include alcohol/substance use disorders (n=13, 5.1%), conversion disorder (n=10, 3.9%), conduct disorder (n=4, 1.5%), borderline personality traits (n=3, 1.1%), body dysmorphic disorder (n=1, 0.3%), and dissociative disorders (n=1, 0.3%).

Abbreviations: CSA, child sexual abuse; SD, standard deviation.

Table 4 Factors associated with attempted suicide, suicidal ideation, and nonsuicidal self-injury in sexually victimized female adolescents

Independent variable	Dependent variable
	Unadjusted			Adjusted
	OR	95% CI	P-value	OR	95% CI	P-value
Attempted suicidea
Group
Dating violence	3.802	1.874–7.715	<0.001	3.053	1.473–6.330	0.003
Incest	2.625	0.989–6.967	0.053	2.251	0.827–6.127	0.112
Other CSA	1.00	–	–	1.00	–	–
Depression	2.486	1.394–4.436	0.002	2.238	1.226–4.086	0.009
Suicidal ideationb
Group
Dating violence	4.675	2.638–8.285	<0.001	3.500	1.817–6.741	<0.001
Incest	2.337	1.042–5.242	0.039	1.860	0.737–4.696	0.189
Other CSA	1.00	–	–	1.00	–	–
Revictimization	3.706	1.831–7.500	<0.001	2.897	1.276–6.574	0.011
Depression	4.612	2.701–7.877	<0.001	3.208	1.702–6.047	<0.001
Number of psychiatric disorders	3.984	2.239–7.087	<0.001	2.459	1.243–4.864	0.010
Nonsuicidal self-injuryc
Revictimization	4.829	2.488–9.372	<0.001	3.847	1.899–7.794	<0.001
Alcohol/substance use	9.500	2.859–31.562	<0.001	5.894	1.654–21.002	0.006

Notes:

a The model controlled for existence of penetration, physical assault, revictimization, number of psychiatric disorders, and alcohol/substance use.

b The model controlled for age, existence of penetration, physical assault, threat, and living with/apart from parent(s).

c The model controlled for existence of penetration, number of perpetrators, and number of psychiatric disorders.

Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; CSA, child sexual abuse.